Nanosized CuO Particles via a Supramolecular Strategy

Uniform cupric oxide nanoparticles have been prepared for the first time via a novel supramolecular complex (see image, left) by thermal decomposition, in which cucurbit[7]uril was selected to encapsulate copper acetate, which acts as the precursor for the CuO nanoparticles (right). The procedure affords particles with a narrow size distribution and of very small diameter (≈5 nm).